Staffing campaign: Teachers speak out

Paul Lang is a classroom teacher at Jamisontown Public School. He started his career as a casual teacher and did casual and temporary work in Sydney before going overseas to teach in London for a couple of years. On his return to Australia he worked as a temporary teacher.

In 2005 Paul applied for a P.E.P. position (Permanent Employment Program) for a permanent teaching appointment. P.E.P. was part of the previous staffing agreements negotiated by the Federation and gave casual and permanent teachers access to permanent teaching appointments. Under the new staffing arrangements P.E.P. has been abolished.

Casual and temporary teachers now have to compete with permanent teachers in an open market for positions.Paul is worried that younger casual and temporary teachers will be seen as a greater risk for employment by Principals.

Paul is also worried about those schools in socially and economically disadvantaged areas, that are not incentive schools, having to compete for qualified teachers.

For further information

Contact	:	NSW Teachers Federation
Phone	:	02 9217 2100
Fax	:	02 9217 2470
Email	:	mail@nswtf.org.au
WWW	:	http://www.nswtf.org.au